Obtaining US Immigration Green Card

A U.S. immigration Green Card is another name for a permanent
residency card. It is an identification
card that provides proof of the individual’s lawful and permanent residency status
in the U.S. Obtaining a Green Card affords the
individual the right to live and work permanently in the U.S. In addition, a U.S. immigration Green Card
means that the holder is legally registered according to United States
immigration laws.

A U.S. immigration Green Card is the first step in becoming
a naturalized American citizen. Once an
individual has a Green Card, he/she has to complete a residency requirement set
forth by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Any time spent outside of the country will
not apply towards an individual’s residency requirement. Lengthy periods outside the U.S. may disrupt
the residency requirement and interfere with the naturalization process of the
Green Card holder. If an individual is
granted a Green Card and has to leave the U.S. for an extended period, he/she
must submit an, "Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization
Purposes", so the period of absence does not affect his/her residency
requirement in a negative way.

An individual that wished to obtain a U.S. immigration Green
Card has several options to qualify for permanent residence, they include:

Adoption

Marriage

Petition
from Relatives

Employer
Sponsorship

Business
Investment (Fifth Preference Green Card or EB-5 to start or invest in an
existing business)

Green
Card Lottery (Random computer-generated drawing that allows the applicant,
spouse, and any unmarried children under 21 years-of-age the opportunity to
apply for permanent resident status)

Special
Immigrant (Religious workers, Panama Canal employees, physicians, medical
graduates, foreign employees of the U.S. government, retired international
employees who have lived in the U.S., certain armed forces members, Afghanis
and Iraqis who worked with the U.S., and foreign dependant of U.S. citizens or
permanent residents)

According to the USCIS, an individual that hold a US
Immigration Green Card can enjoy several benefits including:

The
right to live permanently in the United States

The
right to work in the United States

The
right to travel abroad for a certain period of time

The
opportunity to apply for U.S. citizenship after a certain amount of years

The
right to petition a Green Card for the spouse and unmarried children under 21

Because there are so many ways to obtain a US Immigration
Green Card, the process can seem confusing and overwhelming. That is when an immigration lawyer can help
you or a loved one get through the process with less to worry and more
confidence. A qualified immigration attorney
can make sure your application for a Green Card is complete and thorough
leaving no room for error or nothing to chance.
Consult with an immigration attorney before you submit your application
for a US immigration Green Card to give yourself the best possible chance.